hi .im thinking of registering as a dog sitter :) im already a registered childminder but am beginning to find dogs much more interesting ..i love being self employed but need a change .. however i would prefer to specify cavaliers only , as ruby feels comfortable with almost every one we meet :p anyone have any experience of this ?its still just an idea but one that is growing in my head all the time . i know i would need insurance but am trying to see all the pros and cons.. any advice would be great.

Jasper and Holly

12th April 2011, 05:21 AM

It's very popular over here. Are you talking during the day or for people going on holidays? I would love to do it but we have two cats and one of them would not tolerate other dogs except my two. I can't remember the name of the company that offers this service but when I find it I'll let you know. Get some ideas from it. I believe you go through this company and they find you the right home then you pay them and they take their cut and so on. Could be a good little business for you.

BrooklynMom

12th April 2011, 05:43 AM

That is wonderful! I wish you lived next door to me ;)

It is really popular here too. There are different avenues you can go down (or do all of them): dog walking, dog minding during the day while people are at work, play dates (i.e. about a hour) stop bys while people are at work, vacation pet minding and minding at your home (i.e. people drop off and pick up). I use a woman here who I LOVE that does this and she does it at her house...so like when we go on trips, she comes and picks Brooklyn up and Brooklyn stays at her house (that she has made very "dog sanctuary" and she never lets more than 8-10 dogs at a time. She also does day care and walking where she will come pick up the dog at 10 and drop off at 4 (in that time they go to the beach/park/back to her house). It is a good system, but it is a pretty full time job for her. You could scale it back though and really have a ball with it. If I lived close by I would do it with you :D It is always something I have wanted to do.

There are pros and cons, but just list them out and see. If you wanted to do just Cavs you could contact breeders in your area and hit dog shows and things where you would be most likely to find cav owners.

Good luck!!

Sabby

12th April 2011, 10:43 AM

Once my Ebony is fully recovered from her operation I am going to start Home Boarding.

I know you have to get a licence from your council. Look on your local councils website and they will have the information there. Where I live the licence costs £71 a year and they come and inspect your house. You also have to get insurance.

Sandrac

12th April 2011, 12:49 PM

I just occasionally take one dog at a time and it works very well. Saying that there have been a couple of nightmare ones:yikes. I make sure that they come for a trial to see that they will be OK with my two.

With regard to a licence from the council that will depend where you live. For instance in my area I do not need one, but you will need insurance cover specifically for "care and control".

Good luck

GraciesMom

12th April 2011, 01:24 PM

I would pay you to do this a few days a week. Gracie would love you. I have no idea how you go about this but sounds like doing a test for a weekend or two with a few dogs would be a good idea.

Rubysmum

12th April 2011, 02:09 PM

thanks for the positive replies :D i think i would have to do one or the other as in childcare or doggy care or possibly only mind older children say after school..have a lot of thinking to do but what started as a joke by my hubby is gaining credibility lol.. ive always wished i had chosen a career with animals ,but have got used to and enjoy working from home and being my own boss and this would be ideal ! am going to look into it and see what i need to do ..

mommytoClaire

13th April 2011, 04:21 AM

Good LUCK!!

Cindy and Claire

LoneStar Hoopy

14th April 2011, 06:06 AM

Good LUCK!!

Cindy and Claire

Goodluck! Its something I have thought of in the past also! Cav's only though! lol

Wagtails

15th April 2011, 05:25 PM

Another possibility is to offer to become a "Canine Carer" for an agency before you commit yourself to setting up your own business. I did this for a few years when I was ill and couldn't do the travelling associated with my usual job. Obviously you don't get as much in fees as you would if you are paying yourself, but at least it gives you the opportunity to see how you get on and also solves the problem of insurance, which is covered by the agency.

The one I worked for was called Pets and People http://www.petsandpeople.co.uk/
It doesn't cover your area, but will give you an idea of how they operate. Another one which is well respected in the Midlands is Pals4Pets http://www.pals4pets.co.uk/

To find those which are operating in your area, I suggest you go into all the local vets and look for the advertising leaflets and cards that they tend to leave there. Also look in your local newspapers, as they often place adverts in those too.

Have a look at the website of the National Association of Professional Petsitters http://www.petsitters.org/
It will give you some idea of the legal ins and outs. They might also be able to tell you which agencies operate in and around your home area.

If you Google "home boarding for dogs" and/or "petsitters" you will find masses more!

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do :wggle:

Rubysmum

15th April 2011, 10:59 PM

thanks for the good wishes :luv: and wagtails- wow thanks so much for finding all those links! ive had a very brief look just then but am going to have a really good look now...so very kind of you . not in a hurry to do it yet but i think its ideal for me in the not too distant future x